Student Experiences at Tata Steel
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Name: |
Daryl Clayton |
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Job Title: |
Placement Engineer |
Degree
Course: |
BEng Mechanical
Engineering |
University
Attended: |
Loughborough University |
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Tata Steel Location: |
Scunthorpe |
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Joined Tata Steel: |
August 30th 2007 |
Why did you choose to work for Tata Steel?
I thought that the interview process was successful as it was relaxed and made you feel comfortable. The company also came across very well in the recruitment process at the University. The opportunities at Tata Steel are one of several reasons why I was attracted to Tata Steel. I hope to gain sponsorship in the last year of my University studies.
What does your current role involve?
· Shell Merit : I have learnt how the maintenance plan is executed using the appropriate Merit system and how Engineers incorporate this on a daily basis. The system works on a RAM scoring system where jobs are prioritised in order of urgency and from this they are successfully organised into the maintenance plan.
· Projects: I have been actively involved in several projects within the Heavy Plate Mill, which are continuously developing. I have successfully organised a permit system and permit area for the control of working in the Gamma Gauge area. This has meant interacting with several personnel within the company and seen the Permit system implemented and successfully operate in the Stop period. I have been heavily involved in improving and developing the current specification of chain used with in the plate Mill. This can be seen as improving and developing current systems. I have been seeking an improvement on the current chain specification, fitting automatic lubrication systems and sourcing the correct lubricants. This project is based on improving plant performance and reducing downtime.
· Top period projects: Without a doubt the busiest time of placement I successfully took care of three projects within the Plate Mill Stop period. I was involved in looking after three projects that were successfully completed in the time scale. This exposed me to decision-making and management skills. I gained lots of confidence as this involved meeting people I never knew and also improved my man management skills. The skills I have developed in this quarter have helped me take on more responsibility and this improve my productivity for the company.
· Heavy shear-line: I have been actively involved working for the Engineers within this area on a day-to-day basis tackling a variation of tasks and issues.
What training have you received since joining Tata Steel?
I have had several opportunities to work hand in hand with several Engineers giving me an insight into how they manage their work. Health and safety is very important at the Scunthorpe works so I have completed a couple of safety inductions. I have also learnt how the shell Merit system works and have successfully used this system.
Also, I have a University mentor who helps me gain the relevant knowledge at work to work towards my Chartered status.
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Name: |
Amanda Astrop |
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Job Title: |
Marketing Assistant |
Degree
Course: |
BA Business Studies |
University
Attended: |
Loughborough University |
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Tata Steel Location: |
Teeside |
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Joined Tata Steel: |
4th June 2007 |
Why did you choose towork for Tata Steel?
Having studied in marketing for 2 years on my degree, I was looking forward to a position that would put all the theory I have been learning into practise, which this job advert seemed to do. What attracted me most was the opportunity to work in such an international, multi-disciplined organisation, with so many people to learn from. I was looking forward to a new challenge in business-to-business marketing.
What does your current role involve?
My day-to-day activities range from organising exhibitions and corporate events to ordering Tata Steel merchandise and database management. There is some travel involved in my job as I travel to exhibitions and to Scunthorpe and Workington regularly for meetings and updates on our business division. Projects such as organising exhibitions can take weeks to get everything designed, ordered and planned in time for the show.
What training have you received since joining Tata Steel?
On induction I received a training day to show the plant and give me first hand experience of the steel making process. This was a very interesting day, while getting to know some of the other placements students. Since then I have been taken round the Teesside, Workington and Rotherham sights to see different stages in the process and to see, learn and experience what I am marketing.
Please describe development opportunities you have had since joining Tata Steel?
Since joining the Tata Steel placement scheme, I have a short portfolio to fill out to help me record and realise what skills I am developing and practising. It helps as when you work, you rarely stop to think what skills you use everyday and what your abilities are. I do this with my manager to keep us both updated on how I am doing and what skills I need to develop further.
What are your future career aspirations?
After working on this industrial placement, I would like to join the Tata Steel graduate scheme. I know now that I want to work in marketing and aspire to work in a high level marketing management position.
Do you have any hints/tips/advice you would give to someone applying to Tata Steel:
I would definitely advise people to apply for a job in Tata Steel. From working in such a multi-national company, you can learn from people's experiences and advise. I would advise possible applicants to learn more about Tata Steel before applying as it can take a while to learn all the different divisions and what they do. Tata Steel is so much more than Steel.
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Name: |
Andrew Turton |
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Job Title: |
Product Technologist
Placement |
Degree
Course: |
BEng Forensic
Engineering |
University
Attended: |
Sheffield Hallam
University |
|
Joined Tata Steel: |
2nd July 2007 |
Why did you choose to work for Tata Steel?
I originally came to Tata Steel at the age of 15 to do work experience for two weeks. I have always enjoyed physics and chemistry, and have a logical approach to problem solving, as I like the challenge of finding the reason behind how something works, or indeed fails.
It also helps that I have an intrigue into metallurgy, as there is much more to metal than it just being a lump of steel, and slight elemental changes can significantly alter the way a material performs, and so this is dependant upon its application.
What does your current role involve?
My current role is split between conducting trial work and dealing with every day customer tasks/issues.
The customer work has given me exposure within both the company and the industry in general, if for example a component had failed during testing I would have to check all the cast processing history and conduct tests to work out what went wrong. This leads me to be talking with colleges all over the business, working with systems all the way form the melt shop through the entire process chain.
The trial work I have been conducting has ranged from simple new business trials to working on international collaborations with other steel makers.
My day-to-day work has expanded my use of organization, one of my projects involves me tracking multiple orders/casts and getting samples taken, and then tested. There are constantly samples at different stages of works processing and test house processing so keeping an eye on these takes a lot of organization. This task used to require rolling a back up order to ensure samples were taken, however these orders were then scrapped at a large cost but since has been changed so as to only take 4 short samples from each cast.
Through running trials I have built up a varied network of contacts throughout CES and some in other business sectors. I have visited various other Tata Steel plants to have a good look around and get an understanding of the processes involved. This was a huge benefit to understanding the process routes and systems implemented within CES and talking with the people working on plant gives a better idea of why things go wrong. These trips to other areas also really helped me when for example I had to get samples from an order already processed through CES, after contacting a colleague I met on a trip to the Stocksbridge site, I was able to acquire the samples with relative ease averting a possible problem.
Most of the project work conducted involves a written report upon completion, this experience in presenting data accurately and concisely will be of a real benefit and I feel it will be invaluable in my final year of university. I have used a surprisingly large amount of statistics and spreadsheet work this year, this again has been a huge benefit as I have expanded my ability in both Maths, data manipulation and features/functions of spreadsheets
I have conducted trials in the following fields:
- Cleanness in Bearing Steels
- Official customer documentation (ISIR/PPAP)
- Cleanness in the Small Bloom cast product
- Ultra sonic soundness of bearing grades
- Investigations into various failed components
- Re approval of various grades
- Process simplification
Each of these trials has presented me with new challenges but also with new opportunities and contacts, with every new trial I pick up, I learn countless bits of information about both Tata Steel procedures and steel properties in general. For this reason I have tended to pick up any work I could get my self involved in within the whole department so that I could expand my knowledge.
This placement has also given me a great deal of direction and revitalized my interest in metallurgy and investigations, looking for the answer to issues and investigation problems really appeals to my nature, and during this placement I have had many opportunities to expand my skills.
What training have you received since joining Tata Steel?
· Manual Handling
· Beginner Excel
· Expert Excel
· Defensive Driving
Please describe development opportunities you have had since joining Tata Steel?
· Project Management Course
· Dealing with Difficult Customers Course
What are your future career aspirations?
I would like to get a future job within Tata Steel, upon the completion of my university degree, as I feel that it would be a worthwhile company to work for, and that I would also thoroughly enjoy the challenge of working as I have a bit of a 'geeky' interest in physics and engineering.
Do you have any hints/tips/advice you would give to someone applying to Tata Steel:
Enjoy the work and subject area, as you need to have an interest, maybe even a fascination with materials and physics, to be able to understand and apply your knowledge to the job. As well as being able to learn new skills quickly and to be able to adapt them to a situation that you may not have come up against before.
